Retired professors and international students will not be allowed to attain non-NET research fellowships for MPhil and PHD programmes.

The notification was announced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday.

“The UGC has been receiving requests from various individualsâ€¦ regarding admissibility of the scheme of UGC non-NET fellowships to retired professors for doing MPhil/PhD programme as well to foreign/NRI/overseas students,” the UGC circular said.

“It has been decided as a policy decision that retired professors and foreign students are not eligible to receive fellowship under the UGC scheme of non-NET fellowships,” the circular added, as reported in The Indian Express.

Scholarship:

While senior research fellows are awarded with Rs. 28, 000 per month, 30 per cent house rent allowance, and a contingency grant, non-NET fellows receive Rs. 8, 000 on a monthly basis for PhD and Rs. 5, 000 for MPhil.

Junior research fellows are awarded with Rs. 25, 0000 per month, 30 per cent of house rent allowance, and avails a contingency grant under the National Eligibility Test (NET) fellowships for the period of two years.

Brief stint of the background

In 2015, the commission had announced the annulment of non-NET fellowships owing to shortage of funds, which prompted nationwide protests